31 



A sketch of 
the Bradleys 

in 
Washington 



CS71 
.B811 
1902 



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A Sketch of the Bradleys of Washington 



A paper read before the Columbia Historical 
Society Tuesday, May 13th, igoz. 

In preparing this paper I have been embarrassed by 
the fact that there has never been a chronicler in our 
family, nor have I ever heard of a member of it who 
kept a diary. The old folk who saw the beginnings of 
the City as the seat of government a century ago, and 
were associated with its early history, were all permitted 
to depart this life without it having occurred to any one 
to interview them with the purpose of jotting down their 
reminiscences ; and thus much that would have been in- 
teresting and entertaining to our generation was never 
recorded. For lack of such record I find my resources 
limited mostly to rather dry and matter-of-fact material, 
and regret that my paper will necessarily be more nearly 
biographical than illustrative of the times. I hope it 
will not seem very tedious. 

The brief sketch which I am invited to give relates to 
the families and descendants of two brothers, Abraham 
and Phineas Bradley, who settled in this City early in the 
century just completed — Abraham,* the elder of the two, 
coming in May, 1800, having in charge the removal of 
the General Post Office Department from Philadelphia to 
Washington, and Phineas in 1801, having accepted a 
position in the same Department. 

* My grandfather. 



These two brothers (and three sisters who resided 
elsewhere) were the children of Abraham Bradley, the 
third of his name in direct line of descent from ances- 
tors who came from England and settled in Guilford, 
Conn., in 1639. As this progenitor (Abraham) spent the 
later years of his life with his sons in this City and was 
much interested in its growth and development, perhaps 
a brief mention of him will not be inappropriate, especi- 
ally as he was a man of unusual physical and mental . 
vigor and activity, and an alert and intelligent observer 
and student of affairs. He owned no property here, aside 
from being a stockholder in the old Bank of Washington, 
but he bequeathed his sterling character and abilities to 
his two sons, who gave the best part of their lives to the 
establishment, on firm and business-like foundations, of 
one of the great Departments of the Government. 

In a note made by himself, at the age of 88, in an old 
family Bible, he humorously records that he had been 
"a man of various enterprises; an inhabitant of the 
States of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, 
Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia; a 
surveyor of land, master of vessel, selectman, town treas- 
urer, representative in the State Legislature, justice of 
the peace, a Zealous Whig, captain in the Revolutionary 
War, judge of the court, town clerk, and something of a 
scribbler in prose and verse ; and at this time living at 
Clover Hill (Washington, D. C.) and hoping to see many 
happy days yet." (Clover Hill there mentioned was the 
country seat of his son Phineas.) 

An obituary notice of him which appeared in the 
Village Record at West Chester, Penna., in August, 1824, 
and was written by the Hon. Chas. Miner, editor and 
owner of the paper — an old friend of Mr. Bradley — says 
of him, among many other things, that "During the 



whole of his long life after he came to manhood, Mr. 
Bradley took an active part in the discussion of the most 
interesting political questions which from time to time 
arose and agitated the i)ublic mind. As a writer he was 
clear and methodical, his style easy and flowing, his lan- 
guage correct, and his manner sprightly ; so that his 
essays, distinguished by their good sense, happy illustra- 
tion and agreeable manner, were always popular; and 
as his principles were sound and his views liberal, they 
were the means of doing much good. A volume pub- 
lished at the age of 70 years, entitled 'A New Theory of 
the Earth,'* displayed research, acuteness of thinking, and 
much ingenuity in reasoning. Poetry was the amuse- 
ment of his idle hours. His versification was sweet and 
free, and the writer of this notice was always proud to 
enrich the columns of his journal with the sprightly 
productions of his pen. * * * Thus his life was 
actively and usefully spent, much of it in the public 
service, and the evening of his days was cheered by the 
kindest and most delicate attention of his children. Of 
incorruptible integrity, benevolent in his feelings, he lived 
respected and beloved to an age rarely attained." 

Among the many products of his pen in the family 
archives, I beg to quote from only two or three letters 
written from Washington to his daughters. One, dated 
October 8, 1816, in his 8oth year, says, speaking of the 
religious sects of this city : " We have here a variety. 
First, the Roman Catholic Church. This is the largest 
congregation and embraces nearly'all of the foreign inhabi- 
tants ; Mr. Mathews is the priest. We have two Episco- 
palian Churches, about two miles apart. Mr. McCormick 
is the parson of that on Capitol Hill and derives his 
principal support from a common school which he teaches. 

* A copy of which is in the Congressional Library. 



The other, situated near the President's House, is a new- 
building — no parson at present. Two Presbyterian 
Churches about as far apart. The one is near the Capi- 
tol — Parson Breckenridge has been and perhaps may be 
the pastor, but being of rather a fickle turn it is doubtful. 
He is sometimes elsewhere, and derives his support 
chiefly from his farm — or rather his wife's. Of the other. 
Dr. Laurie is the pastor. He is of the Ceceder sect, so 
much stiffer in point of holiness as not to communicate 
with the common Presbyterians. He derives his support 
chiefly from a clerkship he holds in the Treasurer's office. 
One Baptist Church — Parson Brown. He also is a clerk, 
and a very good one, in the General Post Office, and has 
of late acquired a number of proselytes. One Methodist 
Church, erected last year at the sole expense of Mr. Foxall, 
the Government cannon founder. It is a very decent 
edifice.* I believe they have no settled preacher, but the 
Methodists, you know, are all preachers. Mr. Foxall him- 
self sometimes officiates. And we have one small Quaker 
Church. These are all plodding along in their various 
routes to Heaven — many of them in a careless manner, 
but each one in the road of his own selection. The roads 
to those delectable regions are very numerous. The 
Christians, ancient and modern, have found out about 
two hundred already. New sects are frequently spring- 
ing up, and will in all probability double the number, 
for every one being at liberty to put his own construction 
on the Sacred Text, they find ample matter for setting out 
on new courses." 

Again: "The Doctor (Phineas) and his family attended 
a great camp meeting on Sunday, held about 9 miles 
from Clover Hill. There was a great concourse of people. 
The whites and blacks had distinct apartments, and differ- 

* This was, I understand, the Foundry Church. 



ent conversion pens ; these pens were littered with straw 
for the new converts to flounce upon during their frantic 
fits. The greatest order and regularit}^ was observed 
except respecting those who were tormented between the 
pangs and convulsions of hope and fear. During the 
agitations of the new birth the greatest indulgence was 
allowed, in which the distressed souls, all agonized, ap- 
peared frantic, and rose up, fell down, wallowed on the 
straw, sang, groaned, prayed, with trickling eyes and dis- 
torted countenances. Our people none of them had the 
misfortune of being converted and returned home a little 
after sunset, all safe and sound." 

Another letter, written March 16, 1819, in his 88th 
year, says : " Congress is now drawing to a close, and must 
inevitably leave a great deal of unfinished business for 
the next session. They have wasted mucli time on the 
question of the Seminole War ; merely to determine 
whether General Jackson's conduct was to be approved or 
condemned, on which they were nearly equally divided ; 
but those who approved ultimately prevailed. The Senate 
condemned by a large majority, and had the House had 
the same evidence there is no doubt the Representatives 
would have done likewise; but although the}^ debated 
long upon it, the most material evidence was never pro- 
duced before them. * * * They have raised the 
salaries of the heads of Departments and Judges of the 
Supreme Court to $6,000, the Postmaster-General to 
$4,500, and the Assistant Postmasters to $2,500 each, 
which is an addition to A. of $800 and to P. $900. This 
has rekindled the malice of D. and he is spitting out his 
venom by the wholesale. But that fellow is already so 
famous for falsehood and malice that his invectives are 
totally disregarded. His pen is too contemptible to pro- 
duce scandal ; and as 



The Devil never feels in trim 
But when in lies and scandal busy ; 

The Aurora man is just like him, 
And in fact a Junior Devil is he. 

High living, furniture, dress, and etiquette are the order of 
the day. The more a man gets, the more he spends, and 
man}' who have a competent income are continual!}^ run- 
ning into debt and bankruptc3^ Those who can not afford^ 
it are anxious to make an equal show with those who can ; 
and the one half of the salaries public ofhcers get would, 
aside from ostentation, be just as good for them as the 

whole." 

"Washington City, August 1, 1815* 

"Dear Sir: 

•" Not all the debilities incident to a state of superan- 
nuation have yet effaced from my mind the recollection 
of my good old friends. I have often had it in contempla- 
tion to write you, and as often neglected it. And when 
the additional tax of 50 ])er cent, was attached to postage, 
it seemed to present a new obstacle. And this our wise- 
heads and warhawks saw proper to blend with the other 
enormous taxes which necessarily resulted from Madison's 
holy war for free trade and sailors' rights, all of which 
were totally overlooked and forgotten in the Treaty of 
Ghent. 

" This I take the opportunity of transmitting by my 
grandson, Abraham B. 3d. And here I can not forbear 
to mention the satisfaction I enjoy in the prosperity of 
my children. My two sons are doing well. And I have 
here also three grandsons — Abraham, William and 
Eleazur (Lindsley) — all separately well established in 
business, and five younger ones coming on, and about as 
many granddaughters. 

* This letter was not received until the day after this paper was read, but it is 
made a part of the record. It was sent to me by the Secretary of the Wyoming His- 
torical and Geological Society of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and was written to 
Judge Jesse Fell of Wilkes-Barre. 

6 



" Washington City has, like the Phoenix, risen again 
from its ashes. It is considered that the Seat of Govern- 
ment is permanently fixed. The inhabitants seem to be 
inspired with new life and energies; more than ever 
engaged in trade ; many new houses building, and many 
more would be but for the scarcity of materials. The 
value of property has taken a great rise both in the city 
and its vicinity. Many architects, mechanics and laborers 
are employed in rebuilding the public edifices and the 
Navy Yard. The Navy Yard, it is said. Commodore 
Stewart has in charge, as also the building of two ships 
of war. 

" The Congress, public offices and Navy Yard all tend, 
and nearly equally, to the emolument of this city. A 
steamboat now plies between the city and Fredericks- 
burg in Virginia. She goes and comes every day and 
rests several hours at each landing, uniformly calling at 
Alexandria. The cities of Alexandria and Georgetown 
both display much more energy in trade than Wash- 
ington, and equally as much in building houses and 
stores. * * * Marstellaer, late cashier of the Merchants' 
Bank in Alexandria, being, about the close of the war, em- 
ployed by Government to build Fort Washington (8 
miles below) upon a large scale, has been detected in 
exhibiting a fraudulent account amounting to $120,000 
more than he could produce vouchers for ; his villain}^ 
was discovered and proved last week, and he absconded. 
Public frauds are discovered very frequently. You have 
doubtless seen the account of James Whittlesey, State of 
New York, an agent of the Government, who had an- 
nounced that he had been robbed of $40,000 — and that 
his bail afterwards found hidden in his own house be- 
tween two beds. And the Gleaner informs us that Joseph 
Von Sick, commissioner's clerk in Luzerne County, had 



been detected and committed for robbing the archives of 
obsolete county orders and passing them off for liis own 
emolument. What will not Democracy do? Surely 
these, among many other instances of democratic fraud, 
must have a powerful tendency to establish the integrity 
of Federalism. 

" We begin to look out, with some degree of anxiety, 
for news from the contending powers of Europe. Murat 
has already gone over the dam ; and it is to be hoped 
the Corsican bloodhound may soon meet with a similar 
fate. But this must depend much on the sentiments of 
the French nation — if any sentiments they have that are 
permanent. For if France is united in favor of Bona- 
parte, the allies can not conquer it ; but if France is 
divided, the allies will conquer Napoleon and his army. 
It is to be feared that rivers of blood must be shed in the 
contest. 

" We had a hard winter, a cold and dr^^ spring, and the 
summer extremely hot and dry. Our gardens are nearly 
destroyed with the drought ; and unless we are favored 
ver}^ soon with plenteous rains, little or no corn can come 
to maturity. Indian corn is 125 to 150 cents per bushel, 
and the present crops look gloomy in the extreme. 
General health prevails in this country since warm 
weather came on, but in the cold season the epidemic, 
which has ravaged almost every section of the United 
States, was very rife, and swept off great numbers on 
every side of us ; but it was our good fortune to escape it. 
I have enjoyed a very comfortable state of health from 
my first arrival. Although I passed my eighty-fourth 
year in a climate deemed moderate, it had like to have 
been too much for me. * * * 

" Your friend and most obedient, 

" Abraham Bradley." 



Abraham Bradley died at the ripe age of ninety-three, 
and was buried at A^erona, N. Y. 

His two sons were so intimately associated with the 
beginning and development of the General Post Office 
Department, and it was such a large part of their life, 
that I may be pardoned for linking them together in this 
paper. Abraham Bradley, the elder of the two, was Asso- 
ciate Justice of Luzerne County, Penna., and residing in 
Wilkes-Barre when Col. Timothy Pickering, who held the 
office of prothonotary in the same town, was appointed 
Postmaster-General by President Washington in 1791, 
and requested Mr. Bradley to accompany him to Phila- 
delphia as his confidential clerk. A friend, writing of 
him, says : " Abraham Bradley was an unassuming man, 
modest and retiring almost to diffidence, yet a lawyer of 
competent learning, with a clear and discriminating 
mind, and an industry that knew no relaxation when 
there was a duty to be peformed ; and a more valuable 
officer could not have been selected by Colonel Pickering, 
who was an excellent judge of human nature." He (A. B.) 
soon removed to Philadelphia to enter upon the duties 
of his appointment. Tlie year 1800 was the time set for 
the removal of the Departments of the Federal Govern- 
ment to Washington, and Mr. Bradley, having been ap- 
pointed 1st Assistant Postmaster-General in 1799, was 
entrusted with the transfer of the General Post Office 
Department from Philadelphia. 

A number of letters I copied from the files of the Gen- 
eral Post Office would be interesting as indicating the 
times and the characteristics of the writer, but as they 
relate more directly to the Department and hence are 
not appropriate here, I will quote from two or three only, 
giving first impressions. 

In a letter dated June 2d, 1800, he says : " We arrived 



here on Friday last,* having had a pleasant journey so 
far as we traveled by daylight. We stopped one day to 
rest at Baltimore (where we found Mr. Burwell in good 
health and spirits, and performing his Vjusiness much at 
his ease). Captain Stevenson, with whom I agreed for a 
house before my arrival, was not ready to give possession, 
and the house was not convenient for us. I have there- 
fore taken a large three-story house within a few rods of 
Blodgett's Hotel, which will accommodate the office and 
my family and the postmaster's office ; it is about equi- 
distant from the President's House and from the Capitol. 
It is impossible that all the people attached to the public 
offices should be accommodated with houses; the few 
that have been let are at rents none under two hundred 
and fifty and three hundred dollars. Provisions are 
plenty, good enough, and cheaper than in Philadelphia. 
You can buy a peck of field strawberries for a five-penny 
bit; garden berries at eleven cents a quart. Vegetation 
is at least two weeks earlier here than in Philadelphia. 
For myself I do not regret tlie removal. The situation 
of the city is beautiful and the season is extremely pleas- 
ant. * * * The President has not yet arrived." 

Another letter, nine days later, June 11, 1800, to Jos. 
Habersham (Postmaster, Philadeljihia), says : " We have 
not been able to open the office and to accommodate bus- 
iness until to-day. I left Philadelphia Wednesday, the 
27th of May, and arrived here on the evening of the '20th. 
The President left Philadelphia the 26th and arrived at 
Georgetown the first of June. The situation of the city 
is extremely pleasant, and it will probably become the 
greatest city in America. * * * (I have not been able 
to learn whether any house has been taken for your 
family, and have therefore been obliged to store your 

* May 29th it was. 

10 



furniture in Georgetown.) We have taken Dr. Crocker's 
house for tliis office — close by the great hotel — and for 
my family, at $600 a year; the apportionment of the 
rent I shall leave to you ; it appears to me that $200 is 
as much as I ought to pay for a house. Our office is 
kept on the second floor, which contains one large room 
and two small 'ones ; the largest is 27 x 17 feet and the 
smallest are each 15 x 14 feet. * * * We have a flood 
of business on hand at this time, and our removal has 
put us a month in arrears. It took us a week to prepare 
to move, load, etc., and will take us another week to get 
our things in proper order. Mr. Webster is employed 
here ; Mr. Craven kee})s the books, and I shall employ 
another person to assist us a few weeks or until you 
return." 

June 12, 1800 : " No place can be more pleasantly sit- 
uated than this for a large city ; it has, however, been 
commenced on such an extensive scale that it will be 
long before it has the appearance of a town. There 
are about five hundred houses extended over about ten 
square miles, so that they are very much scattered." 

June 13, 1800, in answer to some complaint as to the 
non-establishment of a post route, he writes : " You have 
probably noticed that there are alread}^ about 720 post- 
offices in the United States, and two or three hundred 
more must be established on the post roads designated 
by Congre.ss." (At the close of the fiscal year 1900 there 
were 76,088 post-offices in the United States, or about 
one to every one thousand inhabitants.) 

Abraham Bradley in early life married Miss Hannah 
Smith of Pittston, Luzerne County, Penna., a lady of 
old colonial stock, Christian culture and' sterling char- 
acter, whose tastes sympathized with his own. 

Their first residence after removing to Washington was 



11 I 



at the house rented from Dr. Crocker at the northeast 
corner of Ninth and E streets, which served for a time as 
their home and the Post-Otfice Department. Then he 
removed to a liouse on Seventh street, between E and F, 
east side, which was torn down man}' years ago and 
replaced by a more modern building. Later he resided 
at the southeast corner of Twelfth street and Maryland 
avenue southwest — a house afterwards occupied by Dr. 
Morgan — a section of the city which, like that toward 
the Arsenal Point, had hopes and ambitions which were 
never realized. In 1814 he purchased from Philip Barton 
Key and John W. Claggett 218 acres of the tract then and 
since known as Chevy Chase, and in 1818 acquired 15 
acres more. Here he raised his family in peace and 
comfort, found retirement for his favorite studies, relaxa- 
tion from the cares and burdens of his busy life, and here 
entertained in quiet and cordial hospitality his friends 
and relatives. It is said that in 1814, when the British 
took possession of Washington, several members of the 
Cabinet went into seclusion at Chevy Chase for a day or 
two, and that valuable records of the Post Office and 
other Departments were temporarily hidden there until 
the Red Coats retired across country. 

Dr. Phineas Bradley, the brother, was a practicing 
physician in Wilkes-Barre, Penna., when Abraham re- 
moved to Washington, and in 1801 followed him to this 
city to accept a position in the same Department where 
seventeen years later he also received the appointment 
of Assistant Postmaster-General. He had married Miss 
Anna Jones, from Chemung, New York, a lady "distin- 
guished for her amiable qualities and personal beauty." 
He acquired considerable property in this city, but up to 
to-day I have not satisfactoril}' located his city residences, 
though the information will come later. 

12 



In 1809 lie purchased from John Dixon a tract north- 
east of the cit}' called "Powell's Dividend," which he re- 
named Clover Hill. It is now occupied by Glen wood 
Cemetery. (It seems the humor of fate that the country 
seat of the more jovial and social of the brothers should 
become a cemeter}^ while that of the retired student and 
philosopher should be now the home of the fashionable 
country club and favorite golf links of Washington.) 
Dr. Bradley lived at Clover Hill until 1839, when he sold 
it, and after several transfers it became, in 1854, the 
property of the Glenwood Association. The quaint old 
farm house in which Dr. Bradley lived for 30 years, and 
where he often entertained Henr}^ Clay and other 
worthies of that day, still stands in the northeast corner 
.of the grounds; and a week ago I strolled through the 
ancient parlor and looked into the antiquated store-room 
and cu])board and could almost imagine I detected a faint 
aroma of refreshing sundries such as were so often served in 
the long ago to please the palate of the welcome visitor. 

Thus the two brothers in their charming old country 
places lived in the unconventional, informal, and com- 
fortable way characteristic of the times when life was less 
hurried and strenuous, when social burdens pressed less 
heavily, good living was cheaper, and good fellow.ship 
more common ; and found relaxation from the cares, 
worries, and burdens of their responsible positions — and 
only a glance at the correspondence in the old books of the 
Post Office Department will give one an adequate idea 
of what these burdens were in the general clamor for 
post-offices and mail delivery in a growing countr}^, pul- 
sating with new life and energy, and amid a restless, push- 
ing, impatient people, requiring of the heads of the Depart- 
ment the greatest patience, good judgment, firmness, 
quick decision and justice. 

13 



The brothers, being Federalists, were among the first 
victims to the new war cry, "To the victors belong the 
spoils," which ushered in the Jackson Administration. 

Abraham Bradley died in 1838 and Phineas in 1845. 
I will beg to quote a few brief paragraphs from a very 
kindly and appreciative obituary notice which appeared 
in the July 31st, 1845,* issue of the National Intelligencer. 
After giving a sketch of their lives, it says: "Appointed 
by Pickering, it need hardly be said they were both Fed- 
eralists — Federalists of the old school ; but mingling the 
rarest prudence with the most free and unreserved re- 
pression of their opinions, they passed the ordeal of all 
the Administrations without scath, — a matter alike honor- 
able to themselves and to the Democratic gentlemen who 
were called to rule over them. * * * Thus it may be 
said that the Post Office Department from infanc3'to child- 
hood and from childhood up to the full growth, expan- 
sion and power of manhood, was nursed, brought up and 
educated under the superintendence of Abraham and 
Phineas Bradley ; and the merits and blessings of that 
great establishment are more especially theirs than any 
other persons who have yet lived — not meaning in the 
slightest degree to detract from the merit of the various 
eminent heads of the Department. * * * Abraham 
Bradle}^ was a book man ; in his hours of leisure loved 
study, talked philosophy and metaphysics, was fond of 
abstruse speculations, and wrote well on every subject 
on which he chose to emplo}' his pen. As a more active 
recreation agriculture was his delight. Extremely domes- 
tic, moderate in all his wants and expenditures, he ought 
to have had a fortune. But after the education of a fine 



* Having been copied in full from the Wikes-Barre Advocate of July 2, 1845, 
and written by the same loyal friend, Hon. Chas. Miner, who wrote the obituary of 
their father. 

14 



family of children he left but a moderate independence. 
* * * Dr. Phineas Bradley, on the other hand, was 
thoroughly read in the great book of human nature. 
Man he had studied to advantage, and rarely was there 
a person who understood his subject more thoroughly. 
There was no ati'ectation of graceful manners or fashion- 
able politeness about him, — but he met you with a cordial 
shake of the hand and a cheerful good morning. Per- 
fectly master of the topics of the day, you would seldom 
meet a more intelligent gentleman or interesting com- 
panion. * * * Neither of them was a diner-out, nor 
a -giver of parties, an attendant upon levees, or seen 
as courtier at the houses of the great. Each at home 
living in elegant simplicity, their hospitable tables were 
always well set and o})en with cordial welcome to such 
friends as might happen in." 

Dr. Phineas Bradley had several children, but only 
two survived him — a son and daughter. The daughter 
married Rev. Levin I. Gilliss, the first rector of Ascension 
Church, who remained many years in that pulpit and was 
revered and loved by his people. They had but one 
child, known to many of this Association in recent 
years as Mrs. Marianne A. B. Kennedy, who died in 
December last at her late residence, 1630 Rhode Island 
Avenue. An ardent member of the Epiphany Church, 
to which her affections and service were given without 
stint, she vvas beloved by a large circle of friends for her 
amiable qualities and bright, generous disposition. 

The son, William A. Bradley, was somewhat of a 
prominent figure in this communit}'. Born in 1794, 
and coming with his father to Washington in 1801, he 
commenced active life as runner in the Bank of Washing- 
ton, and subsequently became president of that bank. 
He was also afterwards president of the Patriotic Bank 

15 



and of the Franklin Insurance Co., and was director in 
the latter from the date of its organization in 1818. He 
was at one time Mayor of the city, and was for many 
years a heavy mail contractor under the United States 
Government, running nearly all the mail routes south of 
Washington. During the administrations of Presidents 
Taylor and Fillmore, 1849 to 1853, he was city post- 
master. He married Miss Sidney Ann Thruston, daughter 
of Judge Thruston (and sister of Mrs. Admiral L. M. 
Powell). They had four children, three of whom married, 
but only one had issue. There is but one living descend- 
ant of William A. Bradley — Mrs. Theo. Dewey, wife of 
Lieut. Theo. Dewev, U. S. N. 

Mr. Wm. A. Bradley in 1S35 purchased Analostan 
Island, the old home of General and Mrs. Mason, long 
known as a garden spot and also for the hospitality and 
social prominence of its owners in years gone by. I do 
not know how long Mr. Bradley resided there. Later 
he built the double house on Maryland Avenue between 
Eighth and Ninth Streets now occupied by the Sisters of 
Charity of St. Dominic's Church, where he resided for 
some years, and there often entertained Mr. Webster and 
other men well known in Congress and the District. My 
earliest recollections of him are when he had, still later, 
removed to the house on Louisiana Avenue, one door east 
from the present office of the District Commissioners, and 
where he dispensed his hos})italities freely and enjoyably 
to friends and others. It was a time of quiet as well as 
convivial good living — the day of ante-meridian juleps, 
post-prandial cordials and post-meridian punches ; and 
then, as now, many matters of public interest and import- 
ance were discussed and decided over the cup that warms 
in winter and cools in summer (same cup, with ice in it 
for both seasons). 'Tis said the selection of Washington 

16 



as the seat of government was a shrewd deal between 
Hamilton and Jefferson over " a dinner with punch and 
Madeira," and that even with that assistance it was passed 
by a majority of onh' two in the House and three in the 
Senate. There is a legend of mellow tint and pleasant 
memory in the minds of some old citizens tliat Mr. Wm. 
A. Bradley had a peculiar brand and brew of seductive 
flavor which has not since been excelled in originality 
and aroma by the most skilful members of Arm}' and 
Navy clubs, some of whom have been celebrated, in 
confidential circles, for individuality and positive genius 
in compounding beverages which have been known to 
inspire a flow of soul at feasts of reason. It may be, 
however, that this particular compound of pleasant 
memory was but an original variation on the prevailing 
punch. I think it is Mr. Ben: Perle}' Poore who men- 
tions a " Daniel Webster Punch," which was " made of 
Medford rum, brandy, champagne, arrack, maraschino, 
strong green tea, lemon juice and sugar." The propor- 
tions are not given, doubtless in order to leave something 
to the imagination and originality of the compounder. 

Abraham Bradley had eight children, three of whom — 
Joseph, Henry, and Charles Bradley — were more or less 
identified witli the history and business interests of this 
city. Henry married Miss Mary Prout, and commenced 
active life in Washington in the dry-goods business, his 
partner being a Mr. Catlett. He subsequently gave up 
this business and bouglit a farm in Montgomery County, 
where he prospered ; and having always property interests 
in Washington, attained to a comfortable competence. 
His four children married, and their families are living 
in Washington and in Montgomery County. The later 
years of his life were spent in this city, and his home was 
in one of two comfortable buildings he erected on Third 

17 



Street northwest, just above E Street. He was a man of 
sterling integrit}^ pure life and Christian character^ 

Joseph H. Bradley, born in 1802, and a graduate of 
Yale College, was a well-known member of the bar of this 
city for many j'ears. His long residence here gave him 
a wide acquaintance among the business men of Wash- 
ington, and lie was almost an encycloptedia of business 
law as practiced here, and became one of the most suc- 
cessful pleaders before a jury. He was connected with 
many prominent cases both in the lower and the United 
States Supreme Court, and ought to have accumulated a 
competence, but had raised and educated a large. famil}^ 
lived freely and hospitably, always had dependents who 
imposed upon his generosity, and he did much law busi- 
ness without compensation — being too kind-hearted to 
demand just and proper remuneration for his services 
from those of limited means, and too lenient in exacting 
Ins dues from those who were deeply indebted to liini. 
He succeeded to the Chevy Chase farm, and it was to him, 
as it had been to his father, a haven of rest — a little 
j)aradise. He loved its fields and woods and knew every 
rock and shrub about it; and my father, Charles Bradle}', 
always shared his love for the old place. To them no 
water was so pure or sweet as tliat out of the old well 
and drank from the cocoa-iuit dipper ; no breakfasts to 
compare with the famous corn-pone and inimitable codfish 
balls and fragrant coff'ee made by the old colored cook 
Sunday mornings; no air so entrancing as that gently 
wafted in througli the open windows in early summer 
mornings, fragrant with the odor of flowers and shrubs 
and dew-laden grass ; and no paintings so exquisite as 
the sun-sets over the — now — golf links! An ideal old 
country home, full of sweet memories, associated with 
love, romance, happy hours and open hospitality, when 

18 



the sons and daughters Avere just grown, and all were full 
of life and animation. 

Mr. Bradley in early life married Miss Lucy Tuttle 
of New Haven, who died about fifteen years before her 
husband. He sold Chevy Chase only a short time before 
his death, which occurred in 1884. His children all 
married, but have all passed away. There are seven 
grandchildren living. 

Charles Bradley, my fatlier, — the last of the family to 
be mentioned, — was the youngest of Abraham Bradley's 
children and born in 181G. He began his business life 
in the dry good's store of his brother Henry, and later be- 
came bookkeeper in the Patriotic Bank and secretary of the 
Franklin Insurance Co., which latter position be retained 
during his life. When the National Bank of the Republic 
was organized in 1865 he became cashier of that bank, 
and retained that position until his death in 1881. He 
was connected with several other corporations. He 
married Miss Catharine Coyle, daughter of Andrew Coyle, 
and eight children were born to them, of whom seven 
are living — six in this city. [Justice Andrew C. Bradley, his 
second son, died since the delivery of this paper.] 

His first permanent residence was at 309 C Street 
N. ^V., which he purchased shortly after his marriage in 
1847, and some years later built on the adjoining lot the 
more commodious home No. 307 C Street, where he 
resided until his death. 

Our neighbors in those early days were old families 
whose names have been recalled to this Association by 
Mr. Douglas Levely's recent papers, and I need not 
rehearse them. I can not refrain, however, from a 
word in passing about the old C Street neighborhood. 
It was a comfortable, cheerful, unconventional and 
rather popular old community then — much visited 

19 



from other parts of the city and its two boarding 
houses mucli frequented b}' Members of Congress. It 
was the day of small incomes, cheap food and clothing 
and old-fashioned hospitality. It was also the day of 
pure democracy', and the freedom of the city was gener- 
ously accorded to the animal kingdom, — giving certain 
neighborhoods, and ours especially, a semi-pastoral ap- 
pearance. Stately processions of conceited geese and 
inane, cackling ducks waddled calmly and peacefully 
along the streets to and from their morning bath in Tiber 
Creek ; stray pigs rooted unmolested in the gutters until 
their da}' of judgment came — once a year — when a 
stalwart negro appeared with an eager bull-dog, which 
rushed MMth apparent glee and enjoyment to his business 
of catching pigs by the ear and holding them until secured 
and carried off. Cows browsed lazily along the curbs and 
in vacant lots, and occasionally one more intelligent and 
romantic than the rest — tired, perhaps, of a steady 
diet of grass — would wander forth moonlight nights, 
stealthily unlatch front gates and make her way to the 
garbage barrel in the back yard, and was never cured 
until some fateful night the barrel remained on her head 
and led to exposure and punishment. A not infrequent 
sight was a wagon-load of fresh hides being hauled through 
the street and followed by a dozen or more frantic cows, 
rearing, plunging, kicking, stamping, swinging their tails 
high in air and bellowing with every sign of grief and 
frenz}'. Some of the curious human freaks who roamed 
about in those days would be worth describing, but time 
does not admit. 

A closing word of tribute to those to whom I am most 
indebted. My father was a man of the purest life, strict- 
est integrity and most consistent Christian character, and 
my mother a woman of the finest instincts, cultured in 

20 



mind and heart, and an earnest Bible student, who strove 
to instill into her children the faith and principles which 
were the foundation and strength of her own character. 
The patriotism of botli was as deep and ingrained as 
their religion, and they loved the old flag as they did 
their church. 

Tlie ancestors of both had a clean, consistent record for 
Christian character and good citizenship, and thus be- 
queathed to their descendants " a goodly heritage." 

Chas. S. Bradley, 

Washington, D. C. 



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